Social media users' perspectives of spinal cord stimulation: an analysis of data sourced from social media

Objectives: To identify Reddit users' viewpoints and inquiries about spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic back pain using Reddit databases.

Methods: We performed a qualitative analysis of public, anonymous threads and comments from targeted subreddits within the Reddit community. We used the Python Reddit API Wrapper to extract relevant data. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, using natural language processing to identify and categorize common questions, concerns, and opinions shared by patients regarding SCS.

Results: Our analysis included 112 posts and 448 comments. The tone of comments was neutral (n=231), followed by negative (n=121) and positive (n=96). 13 users actively encouraged other users to try the procedure, while 25 advised against it. The main topics of discussions revolved around pain relief expectations and adverse events. Almost half of users commenting about pain relief expectations reported experiencing considerably lower improvement than anticipated. Pocket pain, lead fracture/migration, infection risk, and scars were common topics of discussion among users. Furthermore, users shared strategies to mitigate postoperative discomfort and offered insights into device selection based on MRI conditionality, reprogramming need, and charging prerequisites.

Conclusion: Our Reddit analysis identified potential targets for enhanced dialog between physicians and patients around anticipated pain relief, complications, and postoperative care. Reddit and other social media platforms may offer valuable opportunities for healthcare professionals to improve engagement with patients.